Machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

F. A. MILLS. vSWIIUJr MACHINE.

No. 555,824. (y Patented Mar.. 3, 1896.

W/TNESSES: f /NVENTUH /f i By M v V TTOHNEYS 2 sheets-sheet 2.

(NQ Model.)

F. A. MILLS.

y SEWING MACHINE. ,824.

Patented Mar. 3, 1896..

W/TNESSESL' tlnirnn STATES PATENT Prien.

FRANCIS ARTHUR MILLS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JAMES MUNDELL, OF SAME PLACE.

SEWING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 555,824, dated March 3, 1896.

Application filed May 20, 1895.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS ARTHUR MILLS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and Stat-e of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

In loop-stitch sewing-machines the tension upon the thread is sustained in the eye or throat of the needle, and over this small surface the thread slips as the needle tightens and sets the stitch, which causes the cutting, abrading, and breaking of the thread. My invention is directed to different means for sustaining the loop in tightening and setting the stitches and preventing the cutting, abrading, and breaking of the thread. This advantage and result I obtain by a loop spreading and bearing stitch-tightening device arranged to supplement the needle and to give a greater area of bearing for the loop to slip over in setting the stitches. In cifecting this result the loop is spread and transferred from its bearing in the eye or throat of the needle to a bearing on the needle-guide, and this is done by the conjoint backward movement of the needle and the arrangement of the bearing device so as to divide and spread the loop preparatory to tightening and setting the stitches.

The accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, represent the needle, its carrier and guide for the needle, the looper, and the feed devices and so much of a sewing-machine as illustrates the application and use of my invention of a loop-bearing stitch tightening and setting device in the form in which I prefer to use it; but it will be understood that my invention is not limited to the forms herein shown or to its use in the particular machine shown.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l shows so much of a wax-thread sewing-machine as illustrates the employment therein of my invention, the parts being in the positions they occupy to the work when the stitch is being set by the needleguide loop-bearing. Fig. 2 shows enlarged the stitch-forming parts in the same relation they occupy to the work seen in Fig. l. Fig. 3 shows a similar view, the parts occupying the positions in which the Serial No. 549,941. (No model.)

loop of thread is received to form the next stitch. Fig. 4. shows in perspective the relation of the needle-guide loopsbearing to the needle and the work as the stitch is being set. Fig. 5 is an enlarged side view of the same. Fig. 6 shows the needleguide-bearing device which spreads the loop and tightens and sets the stitches, and Fig. 7 is a cross-section of the loop-spreading and stitch-tightening device in its relation to the barb of the needle at the time the stitch is being tightened and set. Fig. S shows the needle-carrier in front view as applied to the sewing-head; and Fig. 9 is an axial section of the bearing on which the needle-carrier and the needle-guide are mounted., showing the spring-connected arm for moving the needle-guide forward.

Referring to Fig. l, so much of the machine asis illustrated is organized in accordance with the construction shown and described in my patent of August 14, 1894, No. 524,336, and it is with such machine that my present invention is adapted for use; but it is obvious that my invention of the loop-bearing for setting' the stitches and preventing the cutting and breaking of the thread can be applied for use with other forms and constructions of machines adapted for sewing with the loop or chain stitch.

The sewing mechanism is mounted in a housing structure or head l at the front of the supporting-frame 2, within or upon which is mounted suitable cams 3 for operating the several members of the sewing mechanism. As such loop-forming mechanism is well known, it is deemed unnecessary to particularly describe the elements or members thereof or their function. A brief description, however, of such mechanism is deemed necessary in connection with my present improvements.

The needle at is of the curved barbed construction, supported by a guide 5 in the usual manner, and is fitted in a carrier 6, which is mounted to have a reciprocating movement in the arc of a circle between the walls of the head or housing. In front of the needle a looper-arm 7 hangs and is mounted to have an oscillating movement in front of and around the eye or barb of the needle.

A back gage 8 and a slide-rest 9 support the IOO lasted shoe in position to the sewing mechanism, while the feed-lever 10 is mounted to operate in the channel of the sole to feed the shoe between each stitch, the work being held by the oper'ator while the needle is moving to enter and draw the loop through the between substances.

The machine is provided with suitable heating and waxing devices, which may be mounted upon the rear end, while the tension device is mounted upon the top of the sewing-head above the looper-arm, so that the conduit 11 containing the waxing-tube for the thread 12 will deliver the waxed thread in close proX- imity to the tension-wheel 13.

In the construction shown the needle-carrier is mounted loosely upon a bearing 14, whichis fixed in one of the walls 40, Fig. 8, of the sewing-head, and the needle-guide is mounted loosely on the same bearing, so as to have a movement independent of the carrier. The needle-carrier is connected to have a reciprocating movement in the arc of a circle to cause the needle to receive in its eye the thread to form the loop and pull it through the hole made by the needle in the shoe preparatory to setting the stitch; but while the stitch is being set the loop is not sustained by the eye of the needle, nor are the stitches tightened and set by the direct pulling action of the needle, but by a loop spreading and bearing device, as seen in Fig. 5, which I will now describe.

Attached to the needle-guide, preferably at its forward side, is a bearing device 16, having a groove 17 coincident with the hole in the needle-guide, so that the needle moves in said groove. The surfaces on each side of the groove are convex and form bearings 18 and 18, which supplement the needle and form a support for the loop 19, so as to relieve it from the small surface in the eye or the barb 20 of the needle at the time the stitch is being set and to pull the thread to tighten and set the stitch. The groove 17 is deep enough to allow the throat-of the needle to be flush with the thread-bearing surfaces 18 and 18 for the thread to slip around during the operation of tightening and setting the stitch, which is at the time the needle and needle-guide is completing its backward movement. This grooved loop-bearing device is pointed and moves against the front side of the needle, so that its point will enter the loop as the needle and needle-guide are caused to move backward by the action of the needle-carrier coming in contact with the pin 26 of the needleguide, and it is from such movement that the stitches are tightened and set. The needleguide grooved bearing therefore not only sustains the loop in setting the stitch, but prevents the cutting and breaking of the thread, while the barb serves only to retain the loop upon such bearing while the stitch is being set. As this grooved bearing forms a continuation of the hole in the needle-guide, and this hole is subject to more or less wear from the needle, I make said thread-bearing adj ustable on the guide-arm by a slot 21 and clamp-screw 22, so as to take up the wear.

The forward movement of the needle-guide is effected by the torsional spring 23,which is arranged to connect the fixed bearing 14 of the needle-carrier 6 with an arm 24, which passes through an axial bore in said bearing, and by a return branch 25 connects the needleguide so as to constantly press it forward, as seen in Fig. 9.

Referring to Fig. 8,the needle having pierced the work and the needle-guide in its full forward positiolntlie looper places the thread in the barb of the needle, which then pulls the loop of thread in the direction to form a stitch. Vhile the needle is pulling the loop through the work the needle-guide maintains its full forward position in relation to the work. As the needle continues pulling the loop, the needle-guide is caused to move backward with the needle by the positive action of the needle-carrier coming in contact with the pin or projection 2G on the bearing end of the needle-guide. During this backward movement of the needle and its guide in the arc of a circle the loop will be caused to be opened and spread by the loop-bearing device. Just before the needle and its guide reaches the position to set the stitch the loop will be fully pulled upon the widest part of the said grooved bearing, which sustains the loop and pulls in and sets the stitch and at the same time prevents the loop from being cut and broken. While the loop is being thus pulled back by the needle-guide to tighten and set the stitch, the shoe is held firmly in position by the back-gage and the slide-rest, as seen in Fig. 1. The backward movement of the needle-guide is limited by the engagement of its pin 2G with a pin 27 fixed in the sewing-head, as seen in Figs. 2 and 8, while the forward movement of the needle-guide is limited by the engagement of the pin 28 thereon with the said fixed pin 27, as seen in Fig. 3.

I prefer to use a cast-off attached to the needle-guide so as to fit closely against the back of the needle and to co-operate with it in the usual manner to separate the loop already formed and prevent it from catching in the barb of the needle while the same is pulling a loop through a loop.

The shoe is placed upon the last and held by the hands of the operatoigwho commences by inserting the foot of the feed-lever in the channel of the sole. slide-rest then act to support the work in a well-known way. The needle penetrates the welt edge of the upper and the between substance of the sole, the looper rotates and places the thread in the eye or barb of the needle, and the loop is formed in the usual way and pulled by the needle through the work, after which the stitch is set by the pulling of the loop-bearing surface of the needleguide. In this setting of the stitch it will be seen, referring to Fig. 7, that the loop is sus- The back-gage and the' IOO tained upon and slips over a comparatively large semicircular or oval surface which is on each side of and coincident with the surface of the throat of the needle and forms a continuation of it. While this loop-bearing is an important feature of my invention, it is also important that such bearing is carried by the needle guide and operated by the needle-carrier to tighten and set the stitch; and while such construction is shown, yet my invention, broadly considered, is intended to and does comprehend any equivalent carrier for said bearing and means for operating the same.`

I claim as my improvementl. In a loop-stitch sewing-machine, the combination with a barbed needle and the needle-guide, of a device carried by the latter adapted to receive and support the loop within the throat of the barb of the needle in the operation of tightening and setting the stitch, the said transfer of the loop and tightening of the stitch by said bearing device being effected at the time the needle is completing its backward movement in the way described.

2. In aloop-stitch sewing-machine,abarbed needle, and a loop-bearing` device adapted to receive and transfer the loop from its bearing within the barb of the needle to bearings on each side thereof as the needle is completing its backward movement whereby to set and tighten the stitch when the loop is within but substantially free of bearing upon the throat of the barb, as described and for the purpose specified.

The combination, in a loop-stitch sewing-machine, of an oscillating barbed needle and a needle-guide, with a loop-bearing device adjustably secured to the latter and adapted to receive and transfer the loop from its bearing within the barb of the needle to bearings on each side thereof for settingand tightening the stitch, while the loop is substantiallyrelieved from bearing on the throat of the barb in the way described.

4. The combination, in a loop-stitch sewing-machine, of a bearing device arranged and operating to supplement the barb of the needle and provide an enlarged bearing for the loop at the throat of the needle at the time the stitch is being tightened and set, substantially as described.

5. The combination, in a loop-stitch sewing-machine, of an oscillating barbed needle, a needle-guide and a tension device, of a loop-bearing device carried by said needleguide and means for operating the latter whereby the strain upon the thread given by the tension device is transferred from the needle-throat to the said bearing device in the operation of tightening and setting theA stitch, substantially as described.

G. In a loop -stitch sewing -machine, the combination with a barbed needle and operating means therefor, of a loop-bearing device adapted to enter the loop in front of the needle and engage the loop back of the needle, and means for actuating said bearing device to cause it to enter the loop to engage and to sustain it free of the needle for the purpose stated.

FRANCIS ARTHUR MILLS.

IVtnesses:

JosErH F. EMEEY, J r., EUGENE ZIEGLER. 

